Cold Sore Remedies
*Photo by Sarah Miller Photography
I reached out to you all on Stories a few weeks ago asking for some of your go-to cold sore remedies, as I’m a frequent sufferer. I go through bouts where cold sores seem to pop up once every other week, but I’ve learned to manage them and reduce their time on my face. Turns out, lots of you deal with cold sores as well. I apologize if this isn’t the most glamorous post, but I’ve received enough messages in the past few weeks to warrant it.
I want to preface my product tips by saying I am prescribed Valtrex by my doctor for my cold sores. It’s obviously not natural, but gets rid of the virus FAST. If you deal with frequent sores, consider asking your doctor about the medication.
Below are my top tips and products (both natural and conventional) to help fight cold sores! I hope this helps!!
Tea tree oil: So many of you suggested applying a dab of tea tree oil to the sore at the first sign. I must say, this definitely reduces the sores lifespan for me. I put a drop on a cotton swab and gently apply it to the sore area. I do this several times a day.
L-Lysine Supplements: Always speak to your doctor before adding a new supplement to your routine, but upon a little googling, I found that the most highly recommended supplement for cold sores is L-Lysine. I take 500mg everyday as general prevention, but will up the dose to 1000mg if a cold sore is near. It definitely works well for me.
Herpecin-L Lip Balm: For lots of people, being in the sun can bring on a cold sore. I find this lip balm to be really useful at both protecting your lips from the sun, but also for protecting against sores!
Vitamin C: Making sure your immune system is in check is crucial in avoiding sores. For me, swollen lymph nodes and cold sores are the first sign of an illness coming on. This is when I load up on all of my remedies above in addition to my Vitamin C. I prefer the Lypo Spheric Vitamin C. It's on the pricier side, but works wonders.
General stress reduction: Stress management can play a huge part in cold sore prevention. Make sure you're taking appropriate measures to reduce your stress levels!
L-Lysine Cream: this cream is super cheap and really helps prevent cold sores if you seem to get them in the same area frequently. I apply a tiny bit to the spot right when I feel “The Itch” and it usually keeps them at bay.
Campho Phenique: This is not a natural product but it really works well at drying those pesky suckers right up! Another familiar/similar brand is Abreva, but I prefer Campho.
